# Ideal Weight Calculator

> The Devine formula sets ideal weight at 50 kg for men (45.5 kg for women) plus 2.3 kg per inch over 5 feet, so a 178 cm man comes out at 73.2 kg; the Robinson, Miller and Hamwi formulas give 70.4 to 75.5 kg. The healthy BMI range for that height is 58.6 to 78.9 kg.

- Interactive calculator: https://calculatorswithsteps.com/ideal-weight-calculator
- Category: Health & Fitness Calculators
- Last updated: 2026-11-10
- Publisher: Calculators With Steps (calculatorswithsteps.com)

## How to use the ideal weight calculator

1. Choose **Metric** (cm) or **US** (ft and in).
2. Pick your sex and enter your height.
3. Optionally, choose your body frame. Leave it at medium if you're not sure.

You get the average of the four formulas, each formula's own result, the healthy weight range for your height and an ideal weight chart covering a spread of heights.

## Ideal weight formulas

Each formula starts from a base weight at 5 feet (60 inches) and adds a fixed amount for every inch above that.

| Formula | Men | Women |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Devine (1974) | 50 kg + 2.3 kg per inch | 45.5 kg + 2.3 kg per inch |
| Robinson (1983) | 52 kg + 1.9 kg per inch | 49 kg + 1.7 kg per inch |
| Miller (1983) | 56.2 kg + 1.41 kg per inch | 53.1 kg + 1.36 kg per inch |
| Hamwi (1964) | 106 lb + 6 lb per inch | 100 lb + 5 lb per inch |

The calculator also shows the **healthy weight range = 18.5 × height (m)² to 24.9 × height (m)²**, which is the adult healthy BMI range used by the WHO and CDC.

## Worked example: a 5 ft 10 in man

He is 70 inches tall, 10 inches over 5 feet:

| Formula | Working | Ideal weight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Devine | 50 + 2.3 × 10 | 73 kg (160.9 lb) |
| Robinson | 52 + 1.9 × 10 | 71 kg (156.5 lb) |
| Miller | 56.2 + 1.41 × 10 | 70.3 kg (155 lb) |
| Hamwi | 106 + 6 × 10 | 166 lb (75.3 kg) |

The average is 72.4 kg (159.6 lb). His height is 1.778 m, so the healthy BMI range is 18.5 × 1.778² = 58.5 kg up to 24.9 × 1.778² = 78.7 kg.

## Ideal weight chart for women

| Height | Devine | Robinson | Miller | Hamwi | Healthy BMI range |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 5 ft 0 in (152.4 cm) | 45.5 kg | 49 kg | 53.1 kg | 45.4 kg | 43 – 57.8 kg |
| 5 ft 2 in (157.5 cm) | 50.1 kg | 52.4 kg | 55.8 kg | 49.9 kg | 45.9 – 61.8 kg |
| 5 ft 4 in (162.6 cm) | 54.7 kg | 55.8 kg | 58.5 kg | 54.4 kg | 48.9 – 65.8 kg |

The calculator's chart extends this to other heights for both sexes.

## Where these formulas come from

None of these equations was designed to tell people what they should weigh. Hamwi's rule of thumb appeared in 1964 guidance on diet planning for diabetes. Devine published his version in 1974 to estimate doses of the antibiotic gentamicin, because some drugs are dosed on lean rather than total weight. Robinson and Miller refitted the idea to life-insurance height and weight tables in 1983, also for dosing.

That history explains their limits. They ignore age, muscle and body shape, and they assume a straight-line link between height and weight that doesn't hold well at the extremes. Hamwi and Devine climb steeply for tall men, while Miller rises much more slowly. A 2016 paper in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition argued for replacing them with BMI-based targets for this reason.

## Heights under 5 feet

The formulas are only defined from 5 feet up. Simply subtracting the per-inch amount below 5 feet gives implausibly low results. Instead, for shorter heights this calculator keeps the BMI that each formula gives at exactly 5 feet and scales by height squared. For a woman who is 4 ft 10 in, Devine then gives 42.5 kg rather than 40.9 kg from straight subtraction. Treat any result under 5 feet as rough and rely mainly on the healthy BMI range.

## Body frame size

Frame size is usually judged from wrist circumference compared with height. MedlinePlus gives these cut-offs for men over 5 ft 5 in: a wrist of 5.5 to 6.5 in is a small frame, 6.5 to 7.5 in is medium and over 7.5 in is large. For women of 5 ft 2 in to 5 ft 5 in, under 6 in is small, 6 to 6.25 in is medium and over 6.25 in is large.

## Using your result

Use the formulas as a rough reference point and the healthy BMI range as the broader target. Muscular people can sit above both and be perfectly healthy, which is why a [body fat calculator](https://calculatorswithsteps.com/body-fat-calculator) reading or your waist size adds useful context. To check where you are now, use the [BMI calculator](https://calculatorswithsteps.com/bmi-calculator). If you want to move toward a target, the [calorie calculator](https://calculatorswithsteps.com/calorie-calculator) sets a daily intake.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the ideal weight for a 5'10" male?

The four formulas give 70.3 to 75.3 kg (155 to 166 lb) for a man who is 5 ft 10 in, with an average of 72.4 kg. The healthy BMI range at that height is wider, from 58.5 to 78.7 kg (128.9 to 173.5 lb).

### What is the ideal weight for a 5'2" female in kg?

For a woman who is 5 ft 2 in (157.5 cm) the formulas give 49.9 kg (Hamwi) to 55.8 kg (Miller), and Devine gives 50.1 kg. The healthy BMI range is 45.9 to 61.8 kg.

### What is the ideal weight for a 5 feet female?

At exactly 5 ft (152.4 cm), the formulas range from 45.4 kg (100 lb, Hamwi) to 53.1 kg (117.1 lb, Miller). The healthy BMI range is 43 to 57.8 kg.

### How do I calculate ideal weight according to height?

Count how many inches you are over 5 feet, then apply a formula. With Devine, men get 50 kg plus 2.3 kg per inch and women get 45.5 kg plus 2.3 kg per inch. A 5 ft 10 in man is 10 inches over, so 50 + 2.3 × 10 = 73 kg.

### How does body frame size change ideal weight?

Hamwi suggested subtracting 10% for a small frame and adding 10% for a large frame, and this calculator applies that to every formula. For a 5 ft 10 in man with a large frame, Hamwi's 166 lb becomes 182.6 lb. You can judge frame size by measuring your wrist.

### Which ideal weight formula is most accurate?

None of them was built to measure health. Devine is the most used in hospitals for drug dosing; Robinson and Miller give lower figures for tall men; Hamwi runs high for tall men. For a personal goal, the healthy BMI range and your waist size are better guides.

### Is ideal weight different for Indians and Asians?

The four formulas don't adjust for ethnicity, but BMI guidelines do. Indian and many Asian guidelines treat a BMI of 23 as the start of overweight, which lowers the top of the healthy range for a 5 ft 10 in man from 78.7 kg to 72.4 kg. The BMI calculator lets you switch to these cut-offs.

## Sources

- [Peterson CM et al. – Universal equation for estimating ideal body weight and body weight at any BMI (Am J Clin Nutr, 2016)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4841935/)
- [MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) – Determining body frame size](https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/17182.htm)
- [CDC – Adult BMI categories](https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/adult-calculator/bmi-categories.html)

> Disclaimer: results are estimates for information and education, not medical advice. Confirm important decisions with a qualified professional.